1. Technical Field
This invention relates to panels for building, aircraft construction, and the like, having a lightweight core between two outer skins and, more particularly, to a ceramic composite panel comprising a pair of skins disposed in spaced relationship to one another, the pair of skins comprising fibers of a generic fiber system disposed throughout a pre-ceramic resin in its ceramic state; and, ceramic foam disposed between the pair of skins.
2. Background Art
Various panels having a lightweight core between two outer skins are well known in the art. For example, so-called "hollow-core" doors are used for interior doors of houses because they are lightweight, relatively strong, resistant to warping, and inexpensive to make. Moreover, they use less valuable raw materials and substitute less costly materials. Cardboard tubing or lightweight lattice structures form the "core" of the door and are covered by thin pieces of plywood which form the outer surfaces of the door.
Such composite panels are being used in other applications as well for like reasons. For example, posters and other art are often mounted on panels comprising two sheets of lightweight cardboard adhesively attached to a core of lightweight plastic foam.
Aircraft have been a leading consumer of composite panel structures. This is because light weight combined with strength is a primary design criteria for aircraft materials. The more an aircraft weighs in and of itself, the less payload it can lift and carry. Thus, we find aircraft panels being made of titanium skins pressure welded to a titanium honeycomb core.
Where heat is a problem, panel design under the prior art is severely limited. Metals can deform and even melt under high temperatures. The Space Shuttle, for example, requires non-metallic materials to perform its intended mission. The nose of each Shuttle must be covered with special ceramic tiles in order to withstand the heat of re-entry through the atmosphere. What would be desirable is a panel of ceramic which can withstand such temperatures in and of itself while, at the same time, being strong and light-weight.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite ceramic panel structure and method of making it which is tolerant to high temperatures such as would be encountered by re-entry of space vehicles into the Earth's atmosphere.
It is another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for producing composite ceramic panel structures.
Other objects and benefits of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows hereinafter when read in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.